Means for positioning lamps



E. A. KUEN.

MEANS FOR POSITIONING LAMPS.

APPLICATION FlLED MAY 24, 1920.

1,438,534. Patented Dec.12,1922..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. A. KUEN.

MEANS FOR POSITIONING LAMPS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1920.

1,438,534, Patented Dec. 12, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Dec. 12, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE A. KUEN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE THOS. J. CORCORAN LAMP COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A, CORPORATION OF OHIO.

MEANS 110R POSITIONING LAMPS.

Application filed May 24, 1920. Serial No. 388,911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE A. KUEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for P0- sitioning Lamps, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to means for posi tioning lamps, such as automobile lamps, and has for its object the provision of novel means whereby the lamp may be readily secured to a support; further, of novel means comprising a bracket arranged to bes'ecured to a support and provided with novel means whereby the lamp is adjustably secured to the bracket; further, of such means whereby the lamp is removable, for instance, for use as a trouble lamp; further, of novel means for supporting the 'lamp on a horizontal pivot and means whereby to permit tilting of the lamp and, further, of novel means whereby the lamp is readily clamped in position; further, of novel bracketing means for a lamp whereby the bracket and the lamp supported thereby may be so supported as to extend to the left or supported so as to extend to the right by use of the same parts; further, of novel pivoting means whereby the lamp may be swung horizontally or vertically with suflicient resistance to cause the lamp to remain in adjusted positions, the pivoting means being such. that the lamp may. be readily and securely fixed in adjusted positions; and, further, of novel pivoting means comprising a threaded clamp and limiting means for the turning thereof so arranged that the turning of a threaded clamp-member in one direction will clamp the parts in place and turning of the threaded clamp-member in the opposite direction to its limit of movement will relieve the clamp to permit adjustment of the lamp while sufficient frictional resistance is maintained on the lamp to hold the lamp in adjusted position.

The invention will be further readily understood from the following description and claims, and from the drawings,'in which latter:

Fig. l is a rear perspective view of my improved device, with a lamp and bracket projected toward the left.

Fig. 2 is a similar View, with the lamp and bracket projected toward the right.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of my improved device, the post being shown in section, and the lamp being shown in full lines, partly broken away, for projecting its rays directly forward, and in dotted lines for projecting its rays respectively at different angles.

- Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional detail of the same taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal cross-section of the same, taken in the plane of the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an end view of my improved device, showing the lamp in full lines for projecting its' rays directly forward, and in dotted lines for projecting its rays respectively at different angles.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the same, taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a detail of the same in side elevation, and partly in section in the plane of the line 77 of Fig. 6, showing the lamp being removed from the bracket.

ig. 9 is a detail in perspective of the inner face of the lamp casing, showing my improved device connected therewith.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of one side of the bracket.

Fig. 11 is a perspective View of the opposite side of the bracket.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the bolt and nut employed in the clamp for controlling horizontal swinging of the lamp.

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the bolt and nut for clamping the jaws of my improved device.

Fig. let-is a perspective view of the various parts of the clamping means, having connection with the lamp, the parts being shown in separated relations; and,

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the inner side of the trunnion-disk of. my improved device.

A bracket 21 comprises a pair of jaws 22, 23. One of the jaws, exemplified as the jaw 22, is part of a plate, preferably of sheetmetal, which forms the arm. 24; of the bracket, and comprises a loop-clamp 25, exemplified as consisting of a loop-portion formed in the sheet-metal arm, and a flange 27 which extends substantially Parallel with the arm, but preferably spaced therefrom by a space 28.. A bolt 29 is received through holes 30, 31, respectively in the flange and in the arm, a nut 32, shown as a wing-nut, having threaded engagement with the bolt, the bolt and nut being arranged to exert clamping force on the loop-clamp, for instance, about a stem 33, extending from the. lamp, this stem being shown as a vertical stem.

The jaw 23 has an arm 36 extending therefrom, the end of the arm being inturned as shown at 37, and having a reduced part 38, to form shoulders 39 above and below said reduced part, which are adapted to rest upon the arm of the bracket, the reduced part. forming a tongue arranged to be received through a slot 40 in the arm of the bracket. .The tongue and the Walls of the lot and the shoulders, loosely position the jaw 23 with relation to the jaw 22. The jaws are shown clamped together by a bolt 44 and nut 45, the bolt being received through holes 46, 47, respectively in the arms 24, 36, the nut being threaded over the bolt for clamping the jaws toward each other about a suitable upright,'exemplified as an upright post 48, which may be the post forming the outer frame of the windshield of an automobile. The arms 24, 36, are respectively preferably formed with bulges 49, 50, extending lengthwise of the arms to strengthen the same. I The bolts 29, 44, are insertable respectively through the holes 30, 31, and 46, 47, from either side of the bracket, so that the clamping by the operator may takeplace readily from either side of the bracket. In order to conveniently permit this, the bolts are provided with parts of polygonal crosssection, for instance, squared parts 51, 52, adjacent to their heads, and the holes 30, 31, and 46, 47, are of corresponding crosssection, so that the bolts may be Inserted into the holes from either direction and the polygonal portions of the bolts be held in the holes nearest their heads for preventing their turning, so that the turning of the nuts may be readily effected, and to provide heads with comparatively small roundings as to. make a neat appearance, especially from the front of the machine.

The upperandlower 1 portions of the bracket are reverse duplicates of each other so that either edge may be used as the top.

'The construction and arrangement of the parts provides ready means whereby the bracket may, be caused to extend to the right or to the left from the post, with either edge uppermost or with either side to the front, various position being shown in Figs. 1, 2, 10 and 11.

The arm 24 of the bracket is a wide arm,

the loop-clamp 25 being correspondingly long, affording a maximum amount of friction surface for the stem, and the clamping bolt 29 is distanced from the loopclamp to obtain great leverage on the clamploop for easy clamping of the stem in fixed relation to the clamp-loop and for readily and definitely relieving the friction-pressure just sufiicient to permit the stem to be turned in the clamp-loop by manipulation of the lamp under a friction-pressure which will hold the lamp in adjusted position.

'The lamp, which is exemplified as a spotlight, is shown at 55, and may be of any suitable construction. It is shown as an electric lamp of substantial parabolic form and comprises a casing 56. The casing is provided with a bulged portion 57 at the parabolic curve of the casing to form a recess 58 having a flat outer wall 59. The casing contains a usual parabolic reflector 60 in which an electric bulb 61 is suitabl located, in usual or desirable manner. g lens 62 is located in front of the reflect-or, in the front of the lamp, and a mirror 63 is shown at the rear of the lamp.

, This wall of the casing is provided with a hole 64. A nut 65 is received in this hole, provision being made toprevent turning of the nut in the hole, as by providing the wall of the hole with flat portions 66, and the shank 67 of the nut with corresponding flat portions 68. The nut is provided with a flange 69. A disk 70, preferably of metal, is received over the shank of the nut and is provided with a hole 71, the wall of which has flat portions 72, to correspond with the outer periphery of the shank of the nut to prevent turning of the disk with relation to the nut. The disk is received in the socket 58 and is positioned in outward relation by the bottom of said socket, which is the bottom or end wall of the socket.

A washer 75 is provided with a hole76, having flattened Walls 77, to correspond with the peripheral form of the shank of the nut, the washer being received against the outerface of the wall 59 of the socket or lamp-casing, and held against turning by the limiting form of its hole received about the shank of the nut.

A journal disk 80 is provided with a journal 81 and a hole 82 extending. through the journal, the hole having flattened walls 83,

corresponding in cross-section to the outer periphery to the shank of the nut, for being received over said shank and held in nonrotative position thereby. A bearing 85 is received about the journal 81 and against 7 the washer 75. A washer 86 is received over the journal 81 between the bearing 85,

and the disk 80. The washers 75 and 86 are preferably friction washers of suitable kind, being-for instance hard fiber washers. The journal-disk forms a connecting part between the lamp and the bearing.

Aspring disk 90 acts upon the disk 80. A bolt 91 is received through a hole 92 in the spring disk and is threaded into the nut 65. The spring disk is exemplified as a cupdisk, with the concave part thereof toward the disk 80, the periphery of the spring disk being provided with radial recesses 93 for forming spring fingers 94 bearing upon the disk 80. A shoulder 95 of the bolt acts on the spring disk and acts to clamp the disks and washers and bearing as well as the lamp casing between the shoulder or flange 69 of the nut 65 and the shoulder 95 of the bolt. The outer end of the bolt may have a suit able portion for turning the same by means of the thumb and fingers, as by providing the same with a thumb portion 96.

A limiting nut 99 is threaded about the inner end of the bolt 91, that is, the end of the bolt which is in the inside of the lamp casing. This limiting nut is positioned on the bolt with relation to the shoulder 95 of the bolt in such manner as to permit only slight turning of the bolt in a direction reverse to its clamping direction, to permit unclamping of the clamp parts only to limited extent, namely, to an extent which will permit a shifting of the lamp on the bearing by the exertion of some force, the limit of unscrewing motion of the parts being such that the parts are still sfliciently held frictionally to cause the lamp to remain in adjusted positions. The limiting nut is fixed rotatively to the bolt, as by providing the limiting nut with radial slots 100 adapted to register with a hole 101 through the inner end of the bolt, a cotter-pin 102 being passed through any one of the series of slots and the hole for fixing the limiting nut and the bolt together in adjusted relation.

When now the bolt is turned in one direction, the clamping action is released for permitting tilting of the lamp in a vertical plane against sufiicient frictional resistance to hold the lamp in adjusted positions. slight turning of the bolt will readily clamp the lamp in adjusted position. A slight rea verse turning of the bolt will restore the adjustable relation of the clamp, but prevent a turning of the bolt beyond such desired frictional relation.

The bearing 85 is provided with a lug 104 projecting preferably at right angles to the plane of the bearing and having the stem 33 fixed thereto. The stem is arranged to be received in the loop-clamp 25. A slight turning of the wing-nut 32 will relieve the frictional clamping of the loop-bearing about the stem sufliciently to permit a swinging of the lamp in a horizontal plane, with the retaining of sufficient friction on the stem to hold the lamp in adjusted positions.

slight turning of the wing-nut 1n clamping direction will clamp'the loop-bearing about the stem rigidly for preventing manual or accidental swinging of the lamp.

The position of the lamp is readily controlled so as to project the rays of the light in different directions laterally, and in different directions up and down, so that control of the light for illuminating any desirable spot in any desirable direction is readily and .out of the loop-bearing in axial direction,

and the lamp readily removed from the bracket and moved from place to place and employed for instance as a trouble lamp. The lamp is readily replaced by insertion of the stem in the loop-bearing, to be again clamped in position for usual use on an automobile. All of these adjustments are had without disturbance of the clamping of the bracket to the fixed part of the automobile, for instance the wind-shield post.

If it is desired to use the lamp on the bracket extending toward the left, the bearing 85 and its stem 33 are rotated on the lamp so as to project the stem downwardly, and the stem is inserted in the loop-clamp 25. This arrangement is. shown in Fig. 1. If it is desired to use the lamp on the bracket extending toward the right, as shown in Fig. 2, the lamp is given a half-turn on its focal axis and the bearing 85 and stem 33 rotated a half-turn on the axis of the bearing, so as to project the stem downwardly for reception in the loop-clamp 25.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a sheet-metal arm having a jaw formed up therein at one end A integral with said sheet-metal arm, the

sheet-metal of the other end of said arm being reversely bent in loop-form to form a. loop friction-bearing arranged to be received integrally about a lamp-stem, the free end of the loop of said loop frictionbearing extended as a flange substantially parallel with said am toward said firstnamed end of said arm in which said jaw is formed, a jaw complemental to said firstnamed jaw, said last-named jaw provided with an arm substantially parallel with said first-named arm and. located substantially in the plane of said flange, clamping means between said arms acting to clamp said jaws toward one another, a clamp-bolt, said flange and first-named arm provided with A holes in which said bolt is reversible for being received endwise through said holes from either side of said first-named arm, means between said bolt and said flange and said first-named arm respectively for positioning said bolt non-rotatively therein when received respectively through said holes from said respective sides of said firstnamed arm, and a nut provided with a manual manipulating part received over the end of said bolt.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a bracket comprising an arm formed with a jaw at one end and with a 100 split-bearing at its other end having a lengthwise of said arm, said arm, loop splitbearing and flange being integral with each other, said loop split-bearing arranged for receiving a lamp-stem, a complemental arm formed With a jaw complemental to said first-named jaw for clamping about a post, clamping means between said arms, a clamp bolt and a wing-nut therefor, said flange and said first-named arm provided with holes in which said bolt is reversible for being received endwise from either side of said bracket, and means between said bolt and said flange and first-named arm respectively for posltioning said bolt nonrotatively therein.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a lamp, and pivoting means therefor comprising a bearing, a connecting part pivoted in said bearing and having connection with said lamp, and friction means coacting with said connecting part and said bearing comprising a bolt, a nut therefor, and cushioning means between said connecting part and said bolt, arranged for fixedly clamping said parts together, and means to limit relative unscrewing between said bolt and said nut to .maintain friction resistance in said friction means.

4. The combination with the wall of a lamp having a hole therein, a nut in said hole, said nut provided with a shoulder at one sideof said wall, 'a disk between said shoulder and said wall, a journal-disc at the other side of said wall slidable' axially on said nut, means for holding said wall, nut and journal-disc in nonrotative relation, a bearing about said journal-disc and be= tween the latter and said wall, a bolt threadange extending from said loop eaaeea ed in said nut, said bolt provided at one of its ends with a manual manipulating part, and means at the other end of said hole, said nut provided with a shoulder at one side of said wall, a journal-disc at) the other side of said Wall slidable axially on said nut, means for holding said wall, nut and journal-disc in nonrotatlve relation, a bearing about the journal-disc, a bolt threaded in said nut, means at the end of said bolt at one side of said bearing limitin unscrewing relation of said bolt with said nut, said bolt provided with a shoulder at the other side of said bearing, and a spring-disk between said last-named shoulder and said bearing. 4

6. Ina device of the character described, the combination with the wall of a lamp having a hole therein, of a nut in said hole, said nut provided with a shoulder, a disk between 'said shoulder and the inner side of said wall, a journal-disk about said nut at the other side of said wall, a bearing about said journal-disk, a bolt provided with a manual operating part and a shoulder at said other side of said wall, said bolt received through said nut, a spring-disk between said last-named shoulder and said journal-disk, friction means at the side of said bearing, a lock-nut on the inner .end of said bolt, and adjustable means for adjustably fixing said lock-nut to said bolt in position to limit unscrewing of said bolt in said nut while friction reslstance to relative turning between said bearing and said journal-disk is maintained.

In testimony whereof, .I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

v EUGENE A. KUEN. In presence of:-

JAMns J. FITZPATRICK, DELMA, WnnNsmo, 

